Weaver birds

Weaver bird colony on reeds

We spotted our first weaver birds on the margins of the dam at the end of our Kloof Mountain Trail. With the binoculars we could just see loads of their nests on the reed stalks; some were greener than others; see top photo. Yellow birds were very busy in and out of the nests. 

As luck would have it could have a closer look at an isolated one by the path, see below. It was freshly made.

Fresh weaver bird nest made out of grass

 

Soon after that someone told us that the birds do that to be safer freom snakes, their worse enemy. 

He also showed us their nests on an American ash tree right by their house. And we were even luckier to see a male at work, see below.

Male Spectacled Weaver bird building a nest

 

 

 

 

 

The females just watch and if they don't approve of it, then the males have to start again.

Note the nest is at the very end of a branch.

When it comes to feeding the babies it looks as if the females work hard at it. In Graaf-Reinet and later in a antique cum coffee shop in Willowmore we had the opportunity to see that.

Female Southern Masked-Weaver bird feeding their young.

Note how the nest nearly touches the antique underwear on the line; the later was part of the quaint decor but the birds stole the show!